How to file a home insurance claim in the UAE

Many residents in the UAE don’t understand the importance of having home insurance.

It can protect your home and your contents from loss, damage, accidents, theft or fires.

Home insurance claims could provide valuable assistance when the worst happens including replacing items and the costs of alternative accommodation.

Claiming your home insurance is relatively straight forward and requires as many details as you can provide.

Our step-by-step guide will take you through the homeowner’s insurance claims process so you can get the help you need.

In 2016 it was estimated that nearly 95% of the UAE population didn’t have home insurance. Perhaps this could be attributed to the more transient demographics of our residents? Those who rent or might have more valuable belongings in their home country might not consider it worth the cost? Maybe it is because Dubai and Abu Dhabi are some of the safest cities in the world?

Whatever the reason, people are finally now realizing how important it is to have home insurance. Renters know that landlord insurance won’t cover their belongings. Homeowners realize accidents can happen anywhere and that the cost of recovery can be high. Dealing with the loss of irreplaceable memories is much worse when your finances will be devastated too.

Why home insurance is important

The main reason that home insurance is so important is that we don’t know what will happen. While the chance of property theft is lower here in the UAE, unforeseeable accidents could happen at any time.

Home insurance claims are there to protect your property and your belongings. Damage could occur to your home from severe weather, like a dust storm, or an accident like a fire. What if there is a water leak that ruins a room, appliances or precious items? As much as we like to think things won’t let us down, we can’t know what is around the corner. In 2016 there were 215 fires in residential buildings, that’s more than one every two days.

Are you worried that securing home insurance could cost you time and money? Well, you shouldn’t be. It would be best if you considered the value of home insurance and the enormous costs it could save you in the long-term. It doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to know your home and belongings are covered.

Policies begin from as little as AED 300 a year and could include the following elements that could make all the difference:

Contents coverage – the cost of replacing the belongings in your home, which could be high if you consider all the appliances, furniture, art, clothes, electronics like laptops and phones, accessories and gifts, etc.

Coverage in the event of fire or storm damage, or leaks.

Liability towards third parties.

Coverage in the case of accidents or theft.

Coverage of the cost of alternative accommodation if required.

If something goes wrong in your home, the cost of these repercussions could be catastrophic. It is a small price to pay to make sure you don’t have financial worries in the face of disaster.

The steps in a home insurance claim process

In the unfortunate case that something does go wrong, you need to know the steps of making home insurance claims.

Generally speaking the process for claiming on your home insurance is similar to all of the top insurance providers. Whatever the reasons, your homeowner’s insurance claims process will require the following:

Step One: Notification

The first thing to do is to take stock of the claim and email your insurance provider with the details. You will fill out a home insurance claim form online that will prompt you for the right information. The more detail you provide, the better. Make sure to include the type of situation, what damage or losses were incurred and the value of the claim.

If necessary, you can attach any official reports such as those from the police or fire department. Receipts or records of purchases could be helpful for more expensive items. If you would prefer a face-to-face meeting, you can meet with your insurance broker directly who can go over the claims process with you in detail.

Step Two: Review

Your insurance provider will now advise you on how things will proceed and if they require further information. They will assign your claim a tracking number so that you can keep on top of its progress via their online portal.

If it is a large claim, they will appoint a loss adjuster to access the value of the claim. A loss adjuster is an independent agent who is regulated by the insurance authority and not associated with the insurance company. They may need to visit your home to assess the damage or incident. In the case of theft, they may investigate further. Once they have concluded their review, they will send a report to the insurance company. Their report will detail their findings and their conclusions on the financial reimbursement to be made.

Step Three: Reimbursement

Once the review of the claim has been concluded, the insurance company will update you on the value they will be offering. If you agree with the amount, you sign a discharge letter, and the money will be debited to your account. In this instance, it will usually take only 15-20 working days for you to receive the money.

If you disagree with the findings, you can revert to the insurer expressing your disagreement. You can even appoint your loss adjuster to submit a report, although you will have to bear the associated costs. If you do disagree with the result, you will need to provide clear facts for the insurance company to review its initial report.

Luckily for us, UAE based home insurance providers prioritize a smooth process with home insurance claims. They understand how worrying it can be when something goes wrong in our homes and that a speedy resolution could help immensely. Finding a top home insurance provider could save you money and give you valuable peace of mind.

At Aqeed you can browse home insurance quotes from all the best insurance companies and find the one that suits you best. That way you can feel secure, whether you want to protect your prized collection of records, a family heirloom or even that IKEA furniture, you spent weeks building.

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Aqeed is on a mission to help you become better at everything related to insurance. The articles are meant to enrich your knowledge about insurance so that you make the right choices. From the decisions you make to the options you take, you are In Sure Hands.

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Aqeed is an insurance technology company that aims to make insurance simple, transparent, and accessible.
We are on a mission to help you become better at everything related to insurance. From the decisions you make to the choices you take, you are InSure Hands.
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